Starter topic: In an interview with Human Events editor Jason Mattera, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele defends himself against a number of criticisms of his tenture:
Overall, Steele gives his performance in the last two years a “solid B,” and says he’s running for re-election because he’s “not one to quit half-way.” While acknowledging that he has “stumbled along the way,” Steele believes he was unduly targeted by Republican apparatchiks from day one. “[T]he moment I assumed the gavel of the Republican National Committee, I was under the scrutiny and the attack, in some cases, of people who lost, people who supported individuals who lost, and the establishment as a whole,” he told us. [...]
Steele’s even more upbeat about his fundraising efforts because he says that they came at a time when high-profile Republican leaders urged donors to quit giving to the RNC and instead channel their money to conservative 527s, such as American Crossroads.
“We’ve done exceedingly well given the obstacles that been placed in front of the Institution by those who don’t want us to be successful for some reason, telling major donors—and I can list all the names of the major donors that I’ve talked to—‘well, so and so said not to give, I didn’t know why, but they said not to give.’ ”
Steele will continue to defend himself today at a debate sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform which will be broadcast live starting at 1pm ET on C-SPAN. NB's Matthew Sheffield will be covering it live via Twitter) between himself
